Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aba and Lagos

For one person, living is cheaper in Aba: $402 a month against $952 in Lagos, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lagos
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Lagos Living Index

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Aba

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$402

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Lagos

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$952

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aba and in Lagos

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aba and in Lagos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $402 per month in Aba vs $952 in Lagos, rent included.

Aba $402
Lagos $952

A couple spends around $653 per month in Aba vs $1,852 in Lagos, rent included.

Aba $653
Lagos $1,852

A family of three spends $904 per month in Aba vs $2,753 in Lagos, rent included.

Aba $904
Lagos $2,753

Aba is about 58% cheaper than Lagos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Aba and Lagos are more affordable than the global median – Aba 70% lower, Lagos 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 ₦4,851

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ₦67.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 ₦9,667

$7.67 ₦10.3K

-6.00%

Cappuccino

$0.87 ₦1,172

$2.82 ₦3,778

-69.15%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₦578

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₦324

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ₦2,770

$0.97 ₦1,305

113.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₦3,243

$1.95 ₦2,619

24.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.71 ₦4,968

$3.20 ₦4,293

15.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 ₦2,960

$1.49 ₦1,997

48.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ₦1,692

Eggs

$2.27 ₦3,044

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 ₦15.1K

$3.42 ₦4,587

229.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ₦5,050

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.27 ₦1,700

$4.36 ₦5,843

-70.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 ₦6,889

$1.63 ₦2,187

215.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 ₦735

$1.33 ₦1,779

-58.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₦1,514

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₦1,999

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₦4,614

$1.61 ₦2,158

113.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 ₦2,037

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₦1,541

$0.89 ₦1,190

29.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₦209

$0.40 ₦531

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.45 ₦1,947

$0.55 ₦735

163.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.18 ₦9,628

$2.37 ₦3,179

202.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₦1,657

$0.54 ₦719

129.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₦1,922

$0.50 ₦666

186.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₦512

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.28 ₦12.4K

$21.99 ₦29.5K

-57.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₦934

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ₦1,296

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₦2,821

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₦1,137

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$6,017 ₦8.1M

$11.3K ₦15.2M

-46.79%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$7,453 ₦10.0M

$29.0K ₦38.9M

-74.29%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$113 ₦151.4K

$112 ₦149.6K

1.17%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$2.19 ₦2,941

$14.92 ₦20.0K

-85.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.64 ₦59.8K

$32.44 ₦43.5K

37.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.80 ₦37.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.91 ₦9,263

Cinema Ticket

$2.13 ₦2,861

$6.23 ₦8,350

-65.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$654 ₦876.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,047 ₦1.4M

$20.1K ₦26.9M

-94.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.83 ₦19.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.94 ₦24.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.04 ₦20.2K

$36.62 ₦49.1K

-58.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.61 ₦24.9K

$47.49 ₦63.6K

-60.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 ₦181.8K

$704 ₦943.8K

-80.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₦559.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ₦594.3K

$2,809 ₦3.8M

-84.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 ₦296.8K

$1,498 ₦2.0M

-85.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,057 ₦1.4M

$3,242 ₦4.3M

-67.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$461 ₦618.2K

$1,607 ₦2.2M

-71.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$95.0 ₦127.3K

$118 ₦157.9K

-19.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

-34.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aba: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lagos: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Aba

–

Lagos

$417 43.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Aba

–

Lagos

$159 16.7%

Groceries & Markets

Aba

–

Lagos

$156 16.4%

Eating Out

Aba

–

Lagos

$97 10.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Aba

–

Lagos

$53 5.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Aba

–

Lagos

$40 4.2%

Getting Around

Aba

–

Lagos

$29 3.1%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $136 in Aba versus $704 in Lagos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Lagos, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Aba

🇳🇬 Lagos

🕒 Local time

02:43 2:43 AM

Same time as Aba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,020,900

10,404,112

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Aba Lagos 460 km

From you

Aba
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aba vs Lagos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lagos is pricier by about 137%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $603 per month in Aba and $1,427 in Lagos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aba, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $136 there versus $704 in Lagos.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Lagos – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Aba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

It depends on your priorities. Lagos has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $402 in Aba to $952 in Lagos. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Aba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lagos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.